The winners: Our four top spots

1 Stamford, Lincolnshire

The ducks are quacking and the river sparkles in the spring sunshine. Across
the green of Stamford’s famous water meadows, young families and couples
enjoy the day, sipping takeaway coffees from the cosy independent cafes,
such as the Fine Food Store, that line the gloriously Georgian high street.
It feels familiar — the town has starred in period dramas from Middlemarch
to Pride and Prejudice, just one lucky by-product of Stamford being named
Britain’s first conservation area. The architecture and honey-stone streets
really are magnificent, but that’s not all Stamford has to recommend it;
this friendly town offers good organic produce as well as designer
boutiques. There’s even an indispensable hardware store, Harrison &
Dunn, which has been a stalwart of the area for years.

Fast trains from nearby Peterborough zoom to London King’s Cross in 55
minutes, making for a quick commute. (Stamford is particularly popular with
City types). It’s more rural than